


The Stardust Remedy

by booktick



Category: MASH (TV)
Genre: Affairs, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Hawkeye Pierce, Established Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Hotel Sex, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Morning After, Morning Kisses, Promises, Sad with a Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-06 18:05:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18393599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/booktick/pseuds/booktick
Summary: He had, a few times, woken to Sidney kissing his knuckles, his palms, when Sidney must have thought he was still asleep.





	The Stardust Remedy

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own none of this franchise.

* * *

The bedsheets in the hotel don't scratch the skin like the cots back at the 4077th. He really likes to think it's all Frank Burns fault--even if Burns was back at the states for a good while now. Frank was good at annoying people, getting on their last nerve and pinching noses. They must have given the camp the worst cots in all of the world as punishment. And Hawkeye would go to his grave convinced of this.

Well, at least the hotel room had a door and a window. He could pretend there wasn't a war for at least five minutes. Not that it lasted even that long most of the time. However, it did help when he had another person's mouth on his personal assets or vice versa. He had enough hickeys on him that even he couldn't hide. He ran his hands over his throat, where quite a few marks were. His lips pulled back far, meeting his eyes, at the thought of how they got there.

If anyone back at the 4077th asked, he'd say he met someone fun. It wouldn't be a total lie and, hopefully, no one would get too nosy. Lots of guys have their share of fun, so as long as it stays where it stays he figured. That's how the unspoken rules seemed to be spread out. That's how it was for Frank, and even Henry in the end. He had no idea what was waiting for him at Crabapple Cove but he knew he'd be leaving his version of fun here too.

As much as he loved Sidney, he didn't know how far letters could go and phone calls that could be listened in on. Would they make trips back and forth? Or would they end where it began? He supposed there was tragic to be found in that. He would always call the man his friend. Sidney had been there in the best and worst of times. Dr. Freedman and Dr. Pierce, what a _fun_ tea cup set they made. He would miss this. Not the bloodshed, not the surgeries and the tears from late night conversations...just the companionship. He'd miss the hell out of Sid.

"Thinking about something, Hawkeye?" 

Hawkeye turned his head towards the bathroom, eyebrows raised. There stood Sidney Freedman, a towel around his waist and a washcloth in his hands--fresh from the shower. Another great thing about hotels, private bathrooms. He could think of a few dozen things they could do in there. If he had another hour, he could think of a dozen more. He smiled anyway, watching as Sidney approached him further.

A hand rested upon his hair, fingers stroked through his hair for a moment. Hawkeye didn't resist, move away or even try to breathe. His eyes were stuck on the doctor, at the gentleness inside Sidney. He knew what sort of person Sidney was--at least he felt he did. He only saw Sidney here and at the 4077th after all. He wasn't even sure if that was enough to really call this a...relationship. He barely had a clue what they were besides lovers on occasion and friends the rest of the time.

"Just admiring your work," Hawkeye finally said, touching his marked throat "Really outdone yourself. It should be in a museum. People love art."

Sidney's laugh was as soft as the kiss to Hawkeye's temple "Why thank you, Hawkeye. I do my best."

The bedsheets over his lap suddenly felt a bit too tight around him. He pulled a pillow over his lap, unsure of why his insides had turned to mush so fast from a mere kiss. It hadn't even been one to the mouth or his coc--well, it wasn't their usual kissing. He had, a few times, woken to Sidney kissing his knuckles, his palms, when Sidney must have thought he was still asleep. Thinking about it only made his stomach drop to his thighs. He had to look away as Sidney walked around the bed, tossing the towel and washcloth onto the bed. Sidney reached out, towards a bag in the corner of the room, and was already sliding on his bottoms. 

Hawkeye tried to hide his disappointment, "Were you called back?" He failed.

"Disappointed?" Sidney looked over his shoulder at him. 

_Damn it._

"No," Hawkeye pulled his legs up, knees nearly to his chest, the bedsheets were kind enough to keep hiding the lower half of his naked body.

He waved a hand in the air, before scratching his ear harder than he meant to, "No, it's fine. I have to head back tomorrow anyway. And we always have poker night so..." Hawkeye had no idea where that sentence was headed.

But Sidney sat down beside him, a small smile at his lips. He tried to not look, he really did. He hated this part. The goodbyes that were never goodbye because they'd meet in another hotel a few months later and do this all over again...damn it. And Sidney, that way Sidney had about him too. It was always ' _When I visit the 4077th-'_ or  _'I'll write you when I can'._ All goodbyes but not goodbye. If Sidney could just say goodbye and mean it, maybe...maybe he would stop feeling like he did right now. It would be easier to move on...and not dream of more. Hope only got a person so far. Only got Hawkeye so far anyway...

"I'll miss you too." Sidney placed a gand over Hawkeye's. 

It felt like home. He let out the breath he forgot he held, looking to Sidney and letting the tension fall away from his shoulders again. His stomach remembered where it was supposed to be too. He let Sidney hold his hand but then Sidney, without breaking eye contact, brought his hand up to kiss his palm. His own mouth, well, it fell open to be perfectly honest. He hadn't...expected that. The butterflies weren't in his stomach anymore, they were in his chest and his heart was _not_ happy about that. 

"Sid..."

"I know, I know. You hate goodbyes."

"I don't-"

"This isn't goodbye, Hawkeye." Sidney's voice was soft, "If we were strangers, just passersbys on one fun night in the city then maybe we would."

"Are you saying we didn't have a fun night?" He tried to make a joke, to smooth over the serious tone their conversation had taken.

Sidney wasn't buying it though, "Yes, we did. And we know each other, don't we, Hawkeye?"

"Sidney, I'm a big boy. You don't have to sugarcoat this affair just 'cause I'm being a sourpuss." He shook his head, heart stuck his throat by now with the butterflies.

He continued, with a heavier sigh. "It's just..." a shrug, "You're leaving leaving or I am. Someone always has to leave, don't they?" His own voice had dropped to an unsure whisper.

"And always see each other one way or another, don't we?" Sidney's eyes were so bright and warm. 

"We do." Hawkeye nodded.

"Then hold onto us until we meet again." Another kiss was placed upon Hawkeye's palm, "And I'll do the same."

And Hawkeye promised himself he would do his best to do just that.

 


End file.
